The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has made some football rule changes, effective with the 2022 season.
The most significant change is to the intentional grounding rule, bringing it in line with college football and the NFL. A player, usually the quarterback, will be able to throw the ball away without being flagged if he is outside the pocket and the ball reaches the line of scrimmage or its extinction beyond the sideline. The pocket is defined as “the lateral boundary of the free-blocking zone.”
The previous rule resulted in a penalty if a pass was not thrown to an eligible receiver to avoid a sack.
“I think it should be what colleges do,” said Kosciusko coach Casey Orr. “It also allows the quarterback to not take unnecessary hits.”
Another change tweaks the rule on chop blocks. The new rule defines a chop block as “a combination block by two or more teammates against and opponent other than the runner, with or without delay, where one of the blocks is below the waist and one of the block is above the waist.” The previous rule, by definition, required that the lower block be at or below the knees.
Orr does not consider it a significant change. “Most officials call it below the waist anyway.”
NFHS Football Rules Committee Chair Richard McWhirter said the change will help officials. “I think they're going to enforce this rule better than they have in the past because determining below the knee and above the knee is tough to do.”
Rule changes were recommended by the Rules Committee and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. NFHS is the governing body for high school sports nationwide, with representation by the governing body in each state, including the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
Player safety was a major consideration for changes.
Other changes will have minimal effect on the sport.
– Players will be able to wear 0 as a jersey number.
– State associations may extend sideline team boxes beyond the 25-yard lines.
– Any foul committed within the last two minutes of either half will automatically result in the offended team’s option to start the game clock on the snap. Prior to this change, the offended team was required to accept its opponent’s penalty in order to gain control of the game clock.
– The rule governing the 25-second play clock after a stoppage in play was clarified, mandating that a 40-second play clock be employed following a foul committed only by the defensive team.
– Any official, not just the referee, may order a change of balls between downs.
